The Khalil Sulieman Halilu Foundation (KSH) has stressed the need for intentional action towards the mental well-being of kids, saying children, like adults are exposed to academic and social pressures due to family breakdown, inappropriate care and violence amongst other vices.
Its Founder, Khalil Halilu, made this known in a statement made available to the media in Abuja on the commencement of its child counselling project called DearTherapy, a few months after the successful execution of its debut program ‘EveryGirl’.
Dear Therapy project aims at enabling kids to become and grow into mindful persons whilst creating a class of caregivers and child support systems with a code for early-stage emotional and mental development.
According to the statement, DearTherapy is a program designed to help kids lead mentally healthy and fruitful lives by providing them access to a safe space to talk through life challenges with the aid of experienced psychologists.
“The reality is that children aren’t exempted from mental health problems. Now, while some kids might be able to understand, verbalize and manage their feelings, others may not.
“A child’s relationship with the environment they grow up in greatly influences their cognitive, social and emotional development and children oftentimes rely on others to help them walk through difficulty.
“While parents want to protect their kids, it is almost impossible to control everything that happens in a child’s life. However, what can be done is accommodating and seeking for them therapeutic help” says the founder Khalil Halilu.
“Working with experienced child psychologists across the country, the foundation will be hosting a free day’s virtual therapy session for young ones between the ages of 9-15years of age on Saturday, 3rd of December, 12noon – 3pm. Making this virtual will address location barriers, comfort for the young ones and trust by parents,” he said.
Explaining further, the Project Lead at KSH foundation, Augustina Okpechi, said “Dear Therapy develops constructive thought patterns and positive behavioural habits.
“By supporting our children’s mental health, we are putting them on the path to a brighter, stronger future where they will be able to handle difficulties in healthier ways than generations before them.”
She added that Dear Therapy is seeking partnerships, calling on stakeholders with interest and commitment to child development through early intervention to join the movement.
